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1911 Winton Model 17B

Alexander Winton was born in Scotland and emigrated to the United States in 1884, later founding the Winton Bicycle Company in 1891 in Cleveland, Ohio. Five years later, he built his first single-cylinder automobile and was one of the earliest and most influential proponents of the motorcar. He organized the Winton Motor Carriage Company in March of 1897 and soon had completed his second automobile, this time a twin-cylinder motorcar with ten horsepower. He drove it around Cleveland's Glenville horse-racing Track on Memorial Day to speeds exceeding 30 mph. Along with his shop superintendent William A. Hatcher, he drove a two-cylinder Winton from Cleveland to New York City. Another long-distance trip to New York was attempted by Mr. Winton in the spring of 1899, this time with Cleveland Plain Dealer reporter Charles Shanks to document the trek. This promoted the Winton product and popularized the word automobile. Mr. Winton would use many different methods to promote and test his products, including motorsports, land speed record attempts, and endurance trials. In 1900 he became the first American to compete in a European Race, The Gordon Bennett race in France. In 1903, Dr. H. Nelson Jackson and his chauffeur Sewell H. Croker drove from San Francisco to New York. The first successful transcontinental journey by automobile, it was safely completed after an arduous 63 days on the road.

Robert Allison became Mr. Winton's first customer, purchasing one of his motorcars in March of 1898. By the close of 1898, a total of twenty-two cars had been sold, followed by one hundred motorcars the following year. Car number twelve was sold to Mr. James Ward Packard, which would later become the catalyst for the Packard Automobile Company.

Winton's famous Bullet racers of the early 1900s help secure motorsport notoriety for the company, with the Bullet No. 2 driven by Barney Oldfield achieving 83.7 mph at Daytona Beach for a mile record in January of 1904. The engine used two horizontal four-cylinder engines mated together making America's first eight-cylinder car.

The popularity of Winton automobiles escalated as the years progressed, with 700 vehicles sold in 1901, 850 in 1903, and around 1,100 units in 1907. Sliding gear transmission with three and four speeds became available by 1907, and the following year, Winton had moved exclusively to six-cylinder cars. By 1909, Wintons were offered with compressed air starter, which could also be used to inflate tires. By 1915, Wintons were offered with electric starters as optional equipment.

The 1911 Winton Model 17-B was a six-cylinder vehicle resting on a 124-inch wheelbase platform. The 457 cubic-inch L-head engine used a single updraft Stromberg/Winton carburetor to produce 48 horsepower. It was backed by a four-speed transmission and two-wheel mechanical drum brakes provided the stopping power. The suspension used solid axles with semi-elliptic leaf springs. Body styles included a five-passenger tourer, torpedo, toy tonneau, and roadster. Seven-passenger body styles included a tourer, limousine, and landaulet.

The Winton Company survived until February 11th of 124. The company was experiencing financial difficulty in the early 1920s, as were many other manufacturers. Even the newly formed Lincoln automobile company entered receivership and was ultimately acquired by Ford. Winton tried to consolidate with Haynes and Dorris, but the venture was not fruitful. Instead, Mr. Winton was forced to liquidate.

by Dan Vaughan

Touring
Chassis number: 10976

This 1911 Winton Model 17B Five-Passenger Touring is powered by a six-cylinder engine with a 457 cubic-inch displacement and delivers 48 horsepower. There is a four-speed transmission and two-wheel mechanical drum brakes. It was ordered by F.L. Garlinghouse of Glenshaw, Pennsylvania on December 9th of 1910 with 'fore-door touring body' from the Pittsburgh dealer. The $3,275 purchase was guaranteed for delivery on or about March 1st of 1911. A later order placed on December 31st added shock absorbers, lighting, and Goodrich tires, for a delivered price of $3,408.

In the early 1970s, the Winton was acquired by Roger Allison. Previous ownership included Harry Resnick, George Hughes, and Robert Chambers, who restored it and drove it on numerous Glidden Tours during the 1950s. The car has resided in the care of its current owner for the past two decades.

This Winton is finished in dark green, with subtle pinstriping. The interior is finished in almond-toned buttoned leather. There is a brass Warner AutoMeter, a MotoMeter atop the radiator, and a stem-wind clock with a second hand. There is a combination of oil-electric side lamps and taillamps, as ordered by Mr. Garlinghouse. The brass horn is an electric Klaxon.

by Dan Vaughan

Touring
Chassis number: 10918
Engine number: 10918

This 1911 Winton is a well-preserved example that has had little more than a minor repaint many years ago. Its 457 cubic-inch L-head inline six-cylinder engine is fitted with a single updraft Stromberg/Winton carburetor and develops 48 horsepower. There is a four-speed transmission, two-wheel mechanical drum brakes, solid axles, and a semi-elliptic leaf spring suspension.

The car entered the care of its current caretaker in 2013 and was immediately sent to Holman Engineering in preparation for brass-era car touring. It was given an electric starting system, the brakes were given a power booster, and the engine was dismantled, inspected, and all bearings adjusted. A new top was made by Chris Charlton's restoration shop. Extensive work was performed on all mechanical systems to ensure reliability, and protective covers were made to preserve the leather. The work consumed several years and cost in excess of $100,000.

Alexander Winton was an immigrant from Scotland who, upon arriving to America, opened the Winton Bicycle Company. He had also worked on a steamship as an engineer.

The Winton Motor Carriage Company of Cleveland, Ohio is credited with being the first company in the United States to sell a motor car. The vehicles were termed 'horseless carriages' and included gas lamps, padded seats, and rubber tires made by the Goodrich Rubber Company of Akron, Ohio. Winton is credited with more than 100 patents.

In May of 1897, Winton created a ten-horsepower automobile that was able to achieve a speed of 33.6 mph on a horse track in Cleveland, Ohio. The engine was a one-cylinder, water-cooled, horizontal power plant. The transmission had two forward and one reverse seeps. It was controlled by the driver through two levers. The transmission is connected to a small shaft by chain and geared directly to a differential unit on the rear axle.

Soon after, an endurance run from Cleveland to New York City further proved the vehicle's durability and evolving status in the transportation marketplace.

By the close of the century, it was among the world's largest manufacturers of gas-powered automobiles. A dealership was established in Reading, PA, and operated by H. Koler to help with the sale and distribution of Winton Automobiles. His early success with selling vehicles was partly due to his accomplishments in racing and endurance challenges. He proved his vehicles were capable, competitive, and durable.

In 1900 Winton entered a car in the Gordon Bennett Cup race in France. It would be the first American car to compete in a European race. Sadly, the car was sidelined when it experienced wheel failure.

Along with racing, he had the ability to promote his vehicles. He drove a 1901 Winton Prototype automobile to the first New York auto show in November. His other display cars were shipped via rail. The mud-spattered car that he had driven was placed on the Winton stand for all to see. A notice accompanied the car that he had beaten his time by nine hours from the year before. The muddy, dirty car attracted many interested buyers and onlookers and was one of the more ingenious displays of the show.

Alexander's quest for competition led him to create an automobile specifically prepared for racing, which he dubbed the 'Winton Bullet.' It was powered by a 492 cubic-inch four-cylinder engine that produced 57 horsepower. The vehicle immediately proved its potential by claiming numerous unofficial world records. On the newly paved Clifton Boulevard the 'Bullet' achieved 70 miles per hour. Another unofficial timed speed trial at the oval racetrack at Glenville had the Bullet averaging 55.38 mph.

The Bullet and its owner were now prepared for anything the competition could produce, or so they though. Defeat was again experienced in 1902 at the hands of Henry Ford's 'Old 999' which was carefully navigated by racing legend Barney Oldfield. The Winton was unable to complete the race as it broke down after only four laps. Winton went back to the drawing board and later emerged with a new, more powerful creation which he called the 'Bullet No. 2.'

Bullet No. 2 continued Alexander Winton's passion for racing and secured him a reputation as one of America's leading race car manufacturers of the early 1900s. In 1903 Alexander entered two cars in Europe's Gordon Bennet Race. His cars were the 'Bullet No 2' and 'Bullet No 3.' Alexander's first appearance to this race was in 1900 when he suffered a broken wheel which sent his car crashing into a ditch. The 1903 appearance also resulted in disappointment. The Bullet No 2 entered the race forty-minutes late due to ignition trouble. After 190 miles it left the race due to a clogged carburetor. Bullet No. 3 managed to complete 260 miles of the 363.4 mile race, but suffered a broken connecting rod and left the race early.

Both of these automobiles continued the tradition of the original Bullet, Bullet No. 1. These cars were specifically designed and built for racing. Bullet No. 3 was equipped with a powerful four-cylinder engine while Bullet No. 2 had a 'straight eight.' Two four-cylinder engines had been bolted together resulting in the first 'straight eight' cylinder engine. This had been done after the conventional way of creating more power by enlarging the displacement by increasing the size of the cylinders had proven to be unreliable. The Bullet No. 2 produced 80 horsepower and at the hands of Barney Oldfield captured many world records. Alexander Winton had made the decision to hand the duties of driving over to other individuals. He had a prosperous business and much responsibility; automobile racing was dangerous and there were few safety regulations which meant there were often tragic accidents. In 1905 at Glenville Bullet No 3, driven by Earl Kiser, was involved in an accident which left Kiser without legs. Barney Oldsfield was also injured in a crash. Alexander Winton withdrew for automobile competition completely. The public began demanding that all automobile racing be stopped until it could become safer.

During the Bullet No. 2's career, it set a world record for a mile track at 64.52 mph at the Empire City Track located in Yonkers, New York. At Daytona Beach in 1904 it set another record in the mile at 83.7 mph and 43 seconds. At Cleveland's Glenville Track during that same year is set another track record at 68.18 mph.

Six Cylinder Engine

The 'Six-teen-Six' was introduced in 1908 and powered by a six-cylinder engine. The name was a play on words for the company's 16th model. The six-cylinder engine was cast in pairs and produced 48 horsepower. A total of four bodystyles were available, all were mounted on a 120-inch wheelbase. The cost to own was between $4,500 to $5,750.

For 1909 the 48 horsepower car became a Model 17 and would remain in production for five years. It was joined by a Model 18 which had a 130-inch wheelbase and a 60 horsepower engine. The Model 17 now featured seven body styles consisting of six open cars and a limousine. The price had dropped, now ranging from $3,000 to $4,650. The Model 18 had two open styles, a limousine and a landualet. The price was from $4,500 to $6,000.

by Dan Vaughan